A roadmap for

your brand’s
growth journey.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 1


IT’S A FAST
AND
WINDING ROAD.
Your brand’s growth is never a straight line.
It twists and turns based on the shifting
market dynamics.

Customers are not static creatures.

They have attitudes and behaviors that are
constantly changing. This requires your BEING CUSTOMER-CENTRIC
IS THE KEY
brand to stay diligently close to customers TO BRAND GROWTH.
to remain relevant and compelling.
Is your organization on a
customer-centric path?
Unexpected moves by your competitors Fundamental to your growth
journey is gaining deeper
can also throw off even the most rock-solid
insights into the attitudes and
strategies. Agile and creative insights behaviors of your customers.
approaches are needed to understand Want to learn more?

the strategic issues that will shape Download this ebook.

your growth journey.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 2


A PATH TO
BRAND BRAND
BUILDING
MARKET
LANDSCAPE
GROWTH
STARTS HERE.

From food to finance,

technology to transpor-
tation, health care to
TARGETING CUSTOMER
personal care—brands
STRATEGY EXPERIENCE
in every industry need
to address the same
set of 8 strategic issues
to successfully maintain The Brand
long-term growth. Growth
However, the path each
brand takes will differ
Navigator
dramatically based on A Strategic Framework
the most critical business
issues to address at
that time.
INNOVATION CUSTOMER
& PRODUCT JOURNEY
DEVELOPMENT

OPTIMIZATION COMMUNICATIONS
OF OFFERINGS RESEARCH

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 3


CUSTOM
DESIGN

FOR EACH
BRAND’S GROWTH
JOURNEY.
Every brand is on its own
unique growth journey,
with different strategic
issues taking priority
at different phases.
Moving through these
various strategic issues
is not a linear process.
The order in which they
are addressed will
be different depending
on your business issues
and goals. Along a
brand’s journey, each
area is fundamental
to a comprehensive
growth plan.
A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY
What are your brand goals?
EXTEND
the
momentum.
Has your brand been enjoying
an increase in sales and
market share recently? You’ll
want to ensure the business
keeps moving forward
and doesn’t fall back due
to competitive moves or
sudden shifts in the
marketplace and customer
preferences. Strategic
areas to start with in this
situation are typically
Market Landscape and
Brand Building.
REBOUND CAPITALIZE
from on unplanned
a setback. success.
Even industry leaders have Sometimes growth comes
periods of stagnation from the most unexpected
where sales have taken places, especially in this
a hit for one reason rapidly changing environment.
or another. Refreshing Staying close to customer
or revamping the business behaviors and needs will help
requires an assessment your brand make the most
of the strategic areas of this growth spurt. This can
to get growth back on be accomplished by looking
at the Customer Journey and
track, such as Targeting
Customer Experience to ensure
Strategy and Optimization
your brand’s messages are
of Offerings.
compelling and relevant at key
decision points.
LEARN MORE ABOUT 8 STRATEGIC ISSUES FOR BRAND GROWTH.
4

 BRAND
BUILDING

How mighty is your brand?

uuu
That’s a strategic question that can keep even Will they Do they think Will they see
the most seasoned marketers up at night.
Thinking about it is not unlike a teen worrying
like me? I’m me again?
about a first date and all those nervous, interesting?
butterfly-inducing worries that run through
your head $

BRAND BUILDING INSIGHTS: EMOTIONAL + RATIONAL

Customers typically have many emotions about
a brand. The goal is to figure out which ones contain
the truths that lead to rich territories for growth.
There’s also an intellectual aspect of brand insights
work as customers have rational ways of interpreting
what role a brand plays in their lives.
What Brand Building uncovers: How it impacts the growth journey:
 Advantages  You can identify the core equities
 Weaknesses to emphasize to grow relationships.
 Opportunities
 You’ll understand the areas to
 Brand affinity
expand brand relationships.
 Level of customer connection
 You will know which brand elements
to prioritize in communications.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 5


 MARKET
LANDSCAPE

Are you evolving to stay ahead?

uuu
Figuring out your brand’s next move can What’s Is staying the What’s the
be a puzzling question even for a
master strategist. It requires the powers
happening course the right move
of keen observation to answer $ around us? best option? forward?

MARKET LANDSCAPE INSIGHTS: CONTEXT + COMPETITION

It’s easy for a brand to keep busy staying in its
own lane, with its own plans. But if you never
poke your head up from the day-to-day demands,
you could soon find yourself left in the dust
as competitors make smart moves around you.
High-growth brands know that checking
in on the market context and competition is
critical to knowing they are pursuing the
right opportunities.
What Market Landscape uncovers:
 Competitive threats and risks
 Customer motivations for
brand choices
 Spaces owned by brands
 Your advantages in the landscape
 Areas for your brand’s expansion
How it impacts the growth journey:
 You have a clear view of white space
and open opportunities.
 You can develop strategic plans
that capitalize on emerging trends
and customer needs.
 You can identify areas to keep your
brand fresh and growing.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 6


 MARKET
LANDSCAPE
IN ACTION
Financial software company
finds surprise in the data.
ASSUMED PATH TO GROWTH
This leading financial
services provider always
marketed separately
to firms that provided tax
services and those focused
on accounting services.
A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY
DATA TOLD A DIFFERENT STORY
Insights from our market
landscape tracker revealed
that firms that offered
both tax and accounting
services were more the
sweet spot.
‘‘WE NEED TO TURN THIS WAY.’’” STRATEGIC SHIFT
This newly defined space The data-driven insights
was better aligned set the company on
with the company’s a new path to growth and
product approach. market success.
7

 TARGETING
STRATEGY

Who are the people to focus on?

uuu
Face it, not everyone is going to love your brand. What defines What How do you
Find the ones that offer the best opportunity
for your brand’s growth by getting more
your will attract engage
precise around $ ideal target? them? more deeply?

TARGETING STRATEGY INSIGHTS: BEHAVIORS + PRIORITIES

Creating a targeting strategy is not a ‘‘one and done’’
event. Brands that successfully navigate the
ever-evolving landscape keep a pulse on where their
customers are heading. And they adjust their
targeted segments based on new attitudes and
behaviors. The key is to have a rigorous, yet
flexible approach to your targeting efforts to focus
on the segments with the best opportunities to
build customer connections and brand growth.
What Targeting Strategy uncovers: How it impacts the growth journey:
 The best targets in your market  You have a clear profile of your
high-growth segments.
 Targets for brand growth
 Target priorities, behaviors,  You know who to target with marketing
and demographics and communications efforts.
 How to connect your brand’s  You know how to connect
strengths to high-growth targets and be relevant.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 8


 TARGETING
STRATEGY
IN ACTION
Confection brand seeks
a new fun-loving target.
OUR CHALLENGE TO CHEW ON
Is this highly successful
brand targeting the
consumer group with the
most sales potential?
A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY
APPROACH TO GET AT ANSWERS
We conducted a highly
strategic segmentation study
that identified core segments
for potential prioritization.
HOW ABOUT THAT PACKAGE? STRATEGIC SHIFT
The research also included The segmentation insights
how best to appeal to led to a new targeting strategy
new segments, and what and packaging redesign
messaging should be focused on an older—but still
included on the package. fun-loving—segment.
9

 CUSTOMER
JOURNEY

How can you influence the

final decision?

uuu
Customers vote with their feet in brick-and-mortar What are the What are they Who or what
and with their cart online. Brands wrestle with
how and why they get to the purchase decision
moments seeking at influences
by looking at $ that matter? key times? their choices?

CUSTOMER JOURNEY INSIGHTS: PROCESS + PEOPLE

For your brand to meet its growth targets,
understanding the purchase triggers, touchpoints,
channel usage, and product considerations are
critical to thriving in an ever-shifting landscape.
Customer journey mapping delivers a thorough
understanding of the pre-decision through
post-purchase process along with the emotions
and influencers along the way.
What Customer Journey uncovers:
 Customer engagement in
your category
 The decision-making process
 Key touchpoints and moments
of truth
 How to deepen the brand
connection at key points
How it impacts the growth journey:
 You can determine what aspects of
the journey will drive brand selection.
 You can understand successful
brand positioning at key points in
the journey.
 You can develop strategies and tactics
to drive initial and repeat purchase.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 10


 CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE

Are you delivering when

it matters?

uuu
Some say customer experience defines Did you Did we What could
the brand today. Paying close attention
to customer perceptions and reality
feel provide we do
about their experience starts by inquiring $ understood? what you better?
wanted?

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE INSIGHTS: MOMENTS + NEEDS

Insights work can deepen your understanding
of what triggers a customer to find extreme
satisfaction with your brand. Knowing if your
brand is falling short at critical junctures
can prevent customer defection and derailment
of your growth plans.
What Customer Experience uncovers:
 Critical moments in a customer’s
relationship with your brand
 Customer needs at key points
 Your brand’s success at delivering
against customer needs
How it impacts the growth journey:
 You can invest in critical upgrades to
improve the customer experience.
 You will identify ways to improve
lifetime value and loyalty.
 You can create competitive advantages
through better experiences.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 11


 CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE
IN ACTION
Sports entertainment brand
needs more visits.
PERPLEXING QUESTION
Why were its active guests
only coming once a year?
A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY
INITIAL REACTION INSIGHTS REVEAL STRATEGIC SHIFT
Let’s develop a loyalty Even the most optimal Focus on improving other
program! loyalty program couldn’t brand experiences such
deliver ROI. as comfort, food, and
type of attractions offered
to increase loyalty —
which it did.
12

 INNOVATION
& PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT

What next move will wow them?

uuu
Successful new ideas are built by brand teams Will this Is this an Do I really
that stay customer-centric during development.
Customers are impressed by new offerings
make my life improvement? want and
because they fulfill an unmet or unrecognized need, better? need this?
and emotionally resonate with them $

INNOVATION INSIGHTS: AGILITY + DEPTH

In today’s rapidly changing landscape, marketers
must find ways to quickly get to market
to capitalize on trending needs and behaviors
among customers. It's important to have
tech-forward, collaborative approaches to
identify high-potential innovations.
And stay committed to building innovations
in ways that maximize brand success.
Innovation and Product Development
uncovers:
 How to develop your innovation
roadmap
 Which ideas resonate most
 How to best define and build out
those ideas
 How to maximium ROI
How it impacts the growth journey:
 You will ensure the team is focused
on the most meaningful ideas.
 You can determine what has the
greatest demand potential.
 You gain the ability to refine
the best ideas to maximize
demand potential.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 13


 OPTIMIZATION
OF OFFERINGS

Is it time for a refresh

or a makeover?

uuu
Customers can be fickle, and lose interest if a Can we improve Which Do we have
shiny new package or feature catches their eye.
To keep your brand as appealing as possible,
interest benefits and the best
periodic updates are needed to address $ and demand? features lineup
should be possible?
updated?

OPTIMIZATION INSIGHTS: IMPROVEMENT + IMPACT

When was the last time the brand team really
took a hard look at the product line-up
and portfolio? Using customer-centric insights
to improve existing products will yield the
right mix of features and benefits to positively
impact demand and growth.
Optimization of Offerings uncovers:
 New additions to improve
your portfolio
 Ways to keep your products
fresh and relevant
 The features, benefits, and product
elements that impact demand
 How to manage and maximize
demand
How it impacts the growth journey:
 Your team can focus on the right
upgrades to drive demand.
 You can determine whether an
expansion to the line is worthwhile
or whether it's best to streamline.
 You can make optimal pricing
decisions to maximize revenue.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 14


 OPTIMIZATION
OF OFFERINGS
IN ACTION
An online investment app seeks
more confidence in pricing.
PRICING DILEMMA
This micro-investing and
robo-investing company was
unsure of a pricing model to
encourage people to sign up
for a new product.
A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY
INSIGHTS APPROACH
We created a simulator that
tested a new pricing tier
that the company had not
previously considered.
PRICING SIMULATION RESULTS
Wow, the simulator was incredibly
accurate. We never would have
launched this product at this
price point without it!”
STRATEGIC SHIFT
The firm was able to create
a new product strategy
and had a clear avenue to
launch potential products
down the road.
15

 COMMUNICATIONS
RESEARCH

Do your messages motivate?

uuu
Getting your brand messages through to Do Are we clear Are we
customers is challenging with the proliferation
of media channels and devices. It’s a noisy,
customers about the showing
noisy world out there, and brand marketers need get the brand empathy?
to be constantly examining $ benefit? differences?

COMMUNICATION INSIGHTS: COMPELLING + EMPATHETIC

Empathy is becoming the foundation in customer
communications. Showing that your brand
understands a customer’s life and needs is
equally as important as explaining the product
and service features. Making sure your
messages truly matter is the outcome of
Communications Research.
Communications Research uncovers:
 Core rational and emotional benefits
for the messaging platform
 How to turn benefits into compelling,
empathic messages
 Optimal positioning strategy to
attract different targets
How it impacts the growth journey:
 You can identify the best way to
communicate key benefits so they
are compelling.
 You can be sure that your key benefits
are getting through to customers.
 Your team can create a differentiating
positioning to drive demand.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 16


CHARTING YOUR GROWTH JOURNEY BY
BRAND TYPE.
Your brand’s size, stage of development,
and stature in the marketplace
can influence what strategic issues
must be addressed to drive
growth and success.

Start-up Emerging Iconic

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 17


 BRAND BUILDING COMMUNICATION

Even with a great new product, Customers don’t really

the positioning may not know the brand yet, so heavy

Start-ups have
be so obvious. Clearly defining lifting may be required on
your start-up brand in messaging the right benefits.
the marketplace is crucial.

unique twists.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CUSTOMER JOURNEY

Scaling a company from seed to IPO or iconic status Start-ups usually require some
can require diving into some different questions form of pivot once they get
than a more established brand. in market. Customer insights
can help make the right degree
of pivot to scale and grow.
Getting smart on the
moments-that-matter will
make limited marketing
dollars go further.

INNOVATION MARKET LANDSCAPE OFFER OPTIMIZATION TARGETING

Founders have a strong vision
and passion for a product and
are traits that lead to success.
Customer feedback can help
fine-tune the product without
losing its core differentiator.
Understanding how the
new brand stacks up
against established players
is an incredibly powerful
tool to identify potential
growth paths.
This can be tricky for start-ups
as consumers don’t really
know their brand or in
some cases their product.
Considerable education
is required in order to make
sure consumers understand
the new proposition.
Sampling more younger brands
along with the established
brands will ensure you are
not missing any piece of
the equation before creating
targetable segments.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 18


 BRAND BUILDING COMMUNICATION

How can you best leverage Once on more solid ground,

the developing equity some emerging brands

Emerging brands
of the brand to seize its become complacent and stop
greatest opportunities? paying attention to commu-
nicating differentiation

need to prioritize to customers.

resources.
One of the biggest challenges for emerging brands
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Building and keeping customer

loyalty is essential to
CUSTOMER JOURNEY

Now that customers know

the intricacies of your
is allocating the right mix of time and budget on issues maintaining growth trajectory. brand, mapping their purchase
that will deliver maximum growth. journey can help determine
when and how to best
influence their decisions.

INNOVATION MARKET LANDSCAPE OFFER OPTIMIZATION TARGETING

Where can your brand find
adjacencies to build on its
initial growth? Innovation
exercises can help Identify
next stage products to
maintain growth.
Knowing where to go next What’s your next new offer Refine your segmentation
after initial success within the current to help focus and
can be guided by brand and expanding portfolio? deliver on brand and
extension studies. organizational goals.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 19


 BRAND BUILDING COMMUNICATION

Brand tracking studies can Positioning should portray

validate growth brands the brand heritage, but

Staying relevant as
while helping create strategies consider ways to evolve
to take advantage of or to remain compelling
defend against newcomers to customers.

an iconic brand. in the marketplace.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CUSTOMER JOURNEY

Iconic brands can evoke powerful feelings among customers, Loyalty must be constantly
but keeping fresh with new ideas and experiences for earned, and the key way
customers is essential to maintain loyalty and growth. to do so is by finding and
improving upon critical
experiences.
Iconic brands understand the
decision process intimately,
but also recognize that this
morphs over time and find
ways to pivot appropriately.

INNOVATION MARKET LANDSCAPE OFFER OPTIMIZATION TARGETING

A steady innovation pipeline
is necessary to keep up
with changing customer
needs. This pipeline is
one of the key factors to
guarantee relevance.
What was relevant three years
ago can be already out
of date based on customer
needs and competitive
moves. Strive for continuous
learning to keep on pace
with growth plans.
Fine-tuning the portfolio
by channel or even individual
retailer is a strategy
that targets high-growth
opportunities while
controlling costs.
Continue to target effectively
by nuancing strategy and
tactics among key segments.
Sometimes the smallest
adjustments yield the
greatest returns.

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 20


 There are pivotal moments along your brand’s
journey when a deeper understanding of
customers and the marketplace, and a highly
strategic analysis, is required.

 You are losing an emotional connection with customers,

and it’s showing in a dip in sales.

 The brand is moving into new markets, and you’re

questioning whether the existing strategy will deliver
on performance goals.

Is your brand at  Customer preferences are changing—and fast.

This is especially true in when a new competitor enters

a strategic
the market and causes rapid shifts in customer
attitudes and behaviors.

 Your industry ecosystem is being disrupted either

inflection point? by technology or new players in the market.

 The brand team is struggling to coalesce

around the right path forward for innovation
and new product development.

 Your messaging is falling flat and this is impacting

the shelf space allotted to your brand retail partners.

 You have an exciting new product or service feature,

and it could impact who you target and where.

 Annual plans from top management require new

strategies to meet performance goals—
where are the opportunities to find this growth?

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 21


STRATEGIC WORKSHEET

BRAND BUILDING COMMUNICATION

Where is your
greatest need?
What is preventing your brand from growing, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CUSTOMER JOURNEY
or where can you accelerate growth?
Use this worksheet to prioritize your research plan
based on where you need to connect with customers
to uncover insights on strategic growth issues.

INNOVATION MARKET LANDSCAPE OFFER OPTIMIZATION TARGETING

A ROADMAP FOR YOUR BRAND’S GROWTH JOURNEY 22


 Our 60+ years of brand-
building expertise
has been acquired through
our partnerships
with Fortune 500 leaders
as well as challenger,
disruptor, and
emerging brands.

A roadmap for These brands come to

us for our business

your brand’s
growth mindset that
starts with one
unwavering goal:
Putting your customer

growth journey. at the center of all

strategic business and
marketing decisions.

Guiding your brand on its growth journey.